VSBA Recommended Policies

In addition to the number of policies required by state and federal law, the VSBA recommends board policies in response to the following state or federal legislation:

Statutory Provision (if any)	Subject	Requirement
33 V.S.A.§4911 et seq.	Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect (F8)	The policy should provide child abuse reporting procedures.
16 V.S.A.§1093	Admission of Nonresident Tuition Students (F14)	Boards may establish criteria for admission of nonresident students, and for receipt of tuition.
16 V.S.A. §165(a)(2)	Student Assessment (F22)	"The school... annually reports student performance results to community members in a forma selected by the School Board."
17 U.S.C.§§101-120 (Copyright Act of 1976 as amended)	Copyright (G2)	Board should adopt policies intended to prevent copyright infringement related to print materials, videotapes, computer software and music.
16 V.S.A. §251, et seq.	Criminal Records Checks (D1)	Supt. may request record of criminal convictions of person supt. is prepared to recommend for employment. Once received, the record should be promptly given to employee in question and notified to right to appeal accuracy.
1 V.S.A. §312(c)	Board Meetings (C2)	Time and place of regular board meetings must be "clearly designated by... determining authority of the public body and...available to any person on request."
20 U.S.C.§§1400 et seq. (Individual with Disabilities Education Act)	Special Education (G10)	Board should adopt policies implementing requirements of special education and other federal statutes concerning handicapped children.
20 U.S.C. §§4071 et seq. (Equal Access Act)	Student Clubs and Activities (F10,F11 Policy Updated 11/26/07)	Secondary schools in particular should have policies governing recognition of student clubs and activities.
16 V.S.A. §§821, et seq.	Tuition Payment (F16)	Districts which pay tuition for all or some students should detail payment procedures in board policy.
	Community use of school facilities (H3, F11)

Many other subjects are commonly covered by School Board policy. Those most often found in board policy books are these:

Athletic/Co-curricular philosophy (F12)

Board development/education (B1)

Board self-evaluation (B2)

Budgeting (E2)

Community relations (H1)

Complaint procedures (G6)

Field trips (G3)

Graduation (including accommodations for handicapped students)

Kindergarten entry

Materials selections (G4, G5)

Public participation in board meetings (C3)

The Policy Development Process

Policy is developed by a School Board in consultation with the administration and those most directly affected by the policy in question. The board should reach agreement on the substantive policy issues before preparing or reviewing a draft. This will insure the integrity of the policy making process. It is never good practice for a board to accept a written policy without having a thorough discussion of the issues behind that policy.

In addition, Vermont law requires that any policy be adopted at a regular or special School Board meeting, after public notice of the board's intent to do so, stating the substance of the proposed policy, at least ten days prior to adoption. [16 V.S.A. §563(1)]